Press

Original Music Inspired By The Natural and Supernatural World

Acclaimed Canadian artist, Norine Braun, released her 10th album, Gone To The Spirits. The concept album is birthed from the Ququnak Paǂkiy Song Collection that Braun wrote from a Canada Council For The Arts Award. The songs are based on the engaging and dramatic life story of a Two Spirit, Ktunaxa warrior woman, courier and guide, who lived in the early 19th century. Gone-To-The-Spirits was the gifted oracle and accomplished warrior who appeared in the journals of explorers and was noted as having transitioned gender and also became a chief. Braun’s irrepressible passion to create music with no imposed boundaries makes this work impossible to categorize. In the beginning, the haunting and ethereal Morning Prayer mesmerizes with ambient ascension toward the heavens. Throughout the album’s rich textures of worldly pop, jazz and blues, the listener is transported among dreamy ice fields, rootsy coyote canyons, thunderous storms toward soulful victory and a sublime rock transformation. One enters a sonic journey in this album that soothes and excites, to another time where Gone To The Spirits story enfolds.

Emotional, heartfelt and eclectic: Norine Braun in 3 words.

“Her voice has the viscosity of a jazz crooner, the elegance of a gospel singer, and the heart of a blues artist.” Bryan Rogers

“Straight out of Vancouver comes Norine Braun, a bluesy artist with a siren’s voice. To say I could listen to Braun sing all day would be an understatement. There’s a kind of raw power to her soulful voice. She even nails melodic bits throughout the album that recall artists like KD Lang and Stevie Nicks, perhaps with a strong dash of Melissa Etheridge. I really took to this album straight away. Great stuff. “ – Robert Ottone JustPressPlay Review

"Best listened to as loud as your neighbours will tolerate, Conventus is an incredibly strong offering from front to back. Strong and passionate, you are able to feel the artists soul, and that of the musicians playing with her. It’s like Norine is able channel both KD Lang and Joni Mitchell concurrently, which in itself should say something. The power and soulfulness she offers up just has to be experienced." Scott Alexander ABORT MAGAZINE

“Conventus the Eye of the Heart” fuses elements of jazz, funk, pop, rock and reggae into a bewitching blues album. Norine Braun’s vocal styling combines those of artists like Bonnie Raitt, Ani DiFranco and Koko Taylor into one remarkable voice." Laurie Fanelli VeggieFans

"Her music sounds like the union of Nick Cave with Patti Smith & City and Colour deep in the Canadian forests." - Joshua Smotherman MTM

"On this well-recorded album she’s got variety, solid tunes and a band that’s so good they breathe together. Why are you still reading this? Go download Conventus The Eye of the Heart." - Jamie Anderson Indie-Music.com

Norine Braun - Kind of Blues

“a bluesy artist with a siren’s voice. To say I could listen to Braun sing all day would be an understatement. There’s a kind of raw power to her soulful voice.” - Robert Ottone JustPressPlay Review

“Kind of Blues” is a collection of blues influenced scintillating songs from her previous recordings. Braun is a Vancouver singer-songwriter renowned for writing wide ranging compositions in various genres from blues, roots, ambience, rock to jazz music in her impressive catalogue of 10 albums.

Cover artwork by Dylan Moore

Mad Music Asylum

By
Rob Penland

Kind of Jazz

New Digital Release!

“Kind of Jazz” is Kind of Good

Norine Braun is a rare artistic talent from Vancouver, British Columbia. Going back to her 1996 release, “Modern Anguish”, Ms. Braun has continued to release highly polished albums flirting with many different genres, performing them all with a style not heard in most independent artists. She has dabbled in blues, folk, Americana, pop and her latest release “Kind of Jazz” is reminiscent of the heyday of the genre in the 1940’s and 50’s when the likes of Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald ruled the street. The record evokes the smoky jazz clubs of the era when the finest and most creative artists of the age played small clubs and venues in New York, Chicago, and New Orleans.

Norine’s songwriting skills are exceptional and her voice has the sultry quality so necessary to carry off songs in this oeuvre. Make no mistake, this record evokes a bygone time but is fully rooted in today’s music. It is one of the few modern jazz records I have heard that does not sound forced or fake in some way. Ms. Braun slides from one style to another as easily as a chameleon changes his colors. Braun has been compared to KD Lang, Melissa Etheridge and Stevie Nicks but on this release, this reviewer hears more Tracy Thorn of Everything but the Girl, Ricki Lee Jones and Sade than the aforementioned divas.

The album’s production is first class all the way and the arrangements show off Braun’s skill as a singer to great effect. Fans of folk and pop will find much to like here, as well as jazz aficionados. The entire album is notable and the first three tracks, ‘Crystallize’, ‘The Perfect Love Affair’, and ‘Tips and Not Trouble’ are all breakout compositions. Norine Braun has hit her stride with this April 2015 release and is surely an artist to watch in the coming years. Rob Penland The Mad Music Asylum

We have talked recently about using music to change your mood and put you in the right mindset for what you need to accomplish. After a rather rough week needing some high tempo music to keep the motor going we have finally reached Friday and can use some sounds to soothe the mind and soul. Luckily we came across Norine Braun just in time.

The singer songwriter from Vancouver, British Columbia crafts a sound with a wide array of musical elements. Norine’s distinctive sound has been featured on her full catalog of 9 albums. There has been blues, roots, rock, and some americana shared throughout and she has earned some high recognition such as winning the Jazz Female singer/songwriter of the year award at the Los Angeles Music Awards.

Last week Norine Braun released a new record Kind Of Jazz. The 11 song collection brings the soft jazz and mellow stylings of her past records to one complete easy listening set. Album opener “Crystallize” showcases many of these talents. There is a beauty to the sound with Norine’s vocals playing with your emotions in an imaginative way. The full soft Jazz vibe is featured on “Tips And Not Trouble”. The silky vocals can put anyone in a relaxed mood. “Paint” continues this trend. The standout track “Gently” is a funky little number with some interesting slap bass sounds to speed up the heart rate while remaining super smooth. The mind relaxing vibe moves forward all the way to closer “Skylight” with its Jazz piano based sound accompanying more of Norine Braun’s beautiful vocals. We can all use an album like this heading into the weekend. Listen for yourself at: https://norinebraun.bandcamp.com/

Radio Wymsey Music Channel

Norine Braun creates an air of excitement in her music that reminds one of such artists as This Mortal Coil, Nico and Patti Smith. Like these performers Norine's work avoids cliches & ghettos.